Carnival Cruisers Can Check In at Airport

Carnival passengers flying into Miami airport no longer have to wait until they get to their cruise ships to check in. Instead they can head to Concourses D or H and the new, permanent check-in cruise counters that Carnival opened last week.

Passengers on ships that depart from Miami and Port Everglades can use the counters, which are open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. the day of sailing. Checked-in customers receive their Sail and Sign cards as well as boarding cards that read "Airport Express." Baggage, however, can't be checked in at the same time. It must still be checked in at the ports.

Once at the port (either via paid transfer or on their own), passengers head to a dedicated Airport Express security lane, where they need to present their photo ID and Sail and Sign card.

Cash-only passengers must stop at the port check-in counter or use kiosks at the pier to turn in their cash deposits.

The airport check-in system has been in place for a week, and Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen told Cruise Critic that so far there has been a "good response" from passengers. Carnival has no plans to expand the airport check-in counters to other airports, he added.